being entirely of wood, a large amount of labor and material, particularly in paint, is annually saved by the forecasts and signals.

I find also a growing confidence in the cautionary signals among sea-faring men, and a more thorough knowledge in the use of their meteorological instruments than has heretofore existed.

The office remains unchanged since last report. Owing to the want of proper telegraphic facilities no reports from other points are received here at present. The monthly summaries and the local observations are regularly furnished to, and published by, the daily papers. Twelve cautionary signals have been displayed at this point, six of which are reported as fully justified at the station.

The observer remarks as follows upon some of these signals:

October 23-24, 1872.-Several vessels remained in harbor on account of the signal. March 19-20, 1873.-No vessels left port during the display.

April 1-2, 1873.-A fishing-boat upset in Ashley River, and one man drowned.

Sergt. J. E. Evans, who was in charge at the date of last report, was relieved in October, for the benefit of his health, which had become impaired by close attention to duty. He was succeeded by Sergt. M. L. Hearne, who still remains, and has given satisfaction.

Privates Sidney Powell and Thomas Cleary have been called in successively for promotion, and passed the required examination satisfactorily. Private J. J. Nanry is the present assistant, and is commended by the observer for his good conduct. A lively interest in the service is manifested by the merchants and other business men at this station, and regret is expressed at the non-receipt of full reports from other coast-stations and those in the interior of the Southern States. The telegraphic service, so far as the transmission of the local reports are concerned, has been performed satisfactorily.

No change has been made in the location of this office since last report, the present location being a very desirable one.

The reports from Santa Fé and Denver are transferred here east and west. Seven hundred and fifty-two bulletins have been issued during the year and two hundred and eight reports, together with the local observations furnished the press.

Sergt. A. C. Dobbins remains in charge, and has given general satisfaction by the promptness and regularity with which reports have been rendered. He was unable to take observations on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of May on account of sickness, and as the instructed civilian assistant had left the station, the record would have been interrupted but for the courtesy of the post surgeon at Fort D. A. Russell, who

made observations at that post and furnished copies of the same to the observer, thus enabling him to complete his record.

To guard against the recurrence of such accidents, Private M. H. Perry was ordered to the station as an assistant, May 8, 1873, and still remains. His conduct is commended by the observer.

The office was moved June 19, 1873, to a building on the corner of Madison and La Salle streets, in order to get it nearer the several telegraph offices. Two rooms are occupied, giving fine facilities for the work of this station, which has largely increased during the year, and is still performed under some of the disadvantages resulting from the disastrous fire of 1871. Full reports from seventy-five regular stations are received here, besides the special reports from the river-stations when they are made. These reports are published in the regular manner, and during the year thirteen thousand six hundred and ninety-two maps have been printed and distributed, two thousand two hundred and forty bulletins issued and posted, and two hundred reports furnished to the press. The issue of post-office bulletins to seven hundred and ninety-eight offices began June 17, and since that date one hundred and sixty-eight thousand seven hundred and thirty-two copies have been sent out. As the matter for these bulletins is seldom received before 2 o'clock a. m., and the copies ready for mail must be in the post-office by 5 a. m., the work is necessarily done with great rapidity, and in view of these facts the accuracy and regularity with which the issue is made deserves commendation. Considerable difficulty has been experienced in the receipt and transfer of reports, owing to the frequent interruption of one or more of the telegraph lines over which they should be received, and the consequent necessity of transferring them to some other office with as little loss of time as practicable, especially at midnight, when every minute is of importance. The different telegraphoffices have to be visited regularly at report hours, and their condition ascertained, and the action of the observer governed by the information thus received. His instructions on this subject are as follows:

When the regular Atlantic and Pacific circuit to New York is interrupted, all reports received will be sent by Pacific and Atlantic circuit to Cincinnati, and the observer at that point notified that communication cannot be had with New York: If this latter circuit is also down, the reports will be sent by the Western Union to the observer in New York, if that route is open, and when it is not, will be filed in the Western Union Office, addressed to the Chief Signal-Officer at Washington, to be sent by any available route at the disposal of the company.

Reports for Saint Louis and Cincinnati will be sent to those points by the Western Union whenever the regular Pacific and Atlantic circuits are broken. Reports for Milwaukee will be sent by the Western Union whenever the Great Western lines to that point are down.

Some few delays have occurred from a natural reluctance on the part of operators to admit that their wires were down, and some from other causes; but, as a whole, this part of the work has been well performed by all parties.

The station was inspected in April of this year, and such irregulari

ties as were found to exist pointed out and corrected. Several changes have been made during the year in the management of the station, Sergt. Theodore Mosher being transferred to the central office January 2, 1873, and Sergt. A. C. Ford, his successor, to Nashville, Tenn., May 1, 1873.

Sergt. W. S. Kauffman has been in charge since the last-named date, and has given satisfaction by the prompt and accurate manner in which his various duties have been performed, under circumstances of unusual difficulty.

Of the assistants who have been on duty here during the year, one, (Private J. D. M. Fee) was called in for promotion, and after going through the usual course of instruction at Fort Whipple passed a satisfactory examination; one was called in for misconduct; one (Private H. R. Pullan) deserted; one was discharged; one transferred to another station, and one to the central office. Six regular assistants are now on duty, and kept busily employed in getting out and distributing the large daily issue of maps and bulletins.

A lively interest is manifested in the service among all classes of citizens, and the labors of the office are properly appreciated.

Thirty-eight cautionary signals have been displayed during the year, of which twenty are reported fully justified, and two partly justified, at the station. In this connection the observer remarks as follows:

October 15-16, 1872.-Gale much more severe on the lake than at the port. Many vessels remained in harbor on account of the warning; but six or seven which went out while the signal was flying were compelled to return during the night.

October 28-31, 1872.-The office was visited by twenty-eight captains of vessels and owners during the display of the signal, more than half of whom stated that they remained in port on account of the warning given.

November 4-6, 1872.-The wind blew in heavy gusts, and was more severe out on the lake. The office was visited by many captains of vessels and others interested, and many vessels remained in port on account of the warning.

November 6-8, 1872.-The wind blew in gusts and was severe on the lake. The office was visited by a number of captains, and many staid in port on account of the warning given.

November 13-14, 1872.-Numbers of vessel-men called at the office, many of whom stated that they delayed their departure on account of the signal.

November 26-28, 1872.-This gale is represented to have been one of the most severe ever experienced on the lake. One schooner known to have delayed her departure on account of the warning. The office as usual was visited by numbers of seamen.

December 7-10, 1872.-But few vessels leaving port now. One schooner reported to have remained in port on account of warning.

April 3-7, 1873.-Storm of wind, snow, and rain.

April 21-23, 1873.-Propeller detained in harbor by the signal, which was justified. September 17-18, 1873.-The wind was much heavier on the lake than at the port. Many vessels remained in, and those which attempted to go to sea were compelled to return. The papers make mention of numerous vessels damaged by the storm.

September 24-25, 1873.-The weather was bad, and several captains of vessels called at the office, who were detained by the signal, and with good effect, as news has been received of the loss of at least one vessel on the lower part of the lake.

September 26-27, 1873.-For a southwest gale and the season of the year, it is said to be unusually severe. The papers contain accounts of numerous injuries to vessels that were caught in the blow, several of which were wrecked on the east shore. A number of vessels remained in port, and probably escaped damage.

The leading newspapers publish reports regularly, and since the issue of post-office bulletins commenced have received, through the energy of the observer, the latest one sent to him from the central office in Washington.

The location of the office of this station has not been changed since last report, but through the liberality of the members of the chamber of commerce a second room, rendered necessary by the increased amount of work thrown upon the station, has been added and furnished at a mere nominal expense to the Government.

Reports from thirty-one other stations are received here in the morning, and the same number in the afternoon, with the addition of those from the special river-stations during the spring and fall months. At midnight seventy reports are received for the map, which is printed and distributed each morning by 7 o'clock a. m. Most of these reports are transferred to Washington as received, which materially increases the work of the observer, who is obliged to keep himself constantly informed of the condition of the telegraph-lines in order that he may not lose valuable time at the moment for action. When the regular circuits are not working from any cause, the observer is instructed to transfer all reports promptly to any available line that will transmit them promptly to their destination.

During the year, eighteen thousand three hundred and one maps, and seven thousand six hundred and sixty-one bulletins have been issued, and two thousand three hundred and thirty-seven reports furnished to the press. The issue of post-office bulletins to seven hundred and fifty-three offices was commenced April 7, 1873, and up to date two hundred and sixty-four thousand five hundred and two copies have been printed and mailed, two copies being sent to each office. As the mail closes at 5 o'clock a. m., this part of the work requires to be done promptly and with system. No instance has been reported where these bulletins were printed too late for the mail, which speaks well for the conduct of the men charged with the duty.

River observations are made regularly, and during the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three river-bulletins have been posted on the appropriate form.

The bench-mark, from which measurements are made, is the extreme low-water mark of September 15, 1858, which was twenty inches above the bed of the river. The leading newspapers publish full tabulated reports daily in excellent form, and also the latest Probabilities received, together with the monthly abstracts and the Weekly Weather Chronicle. At no other station has the press taken a livelier interest in the service or done more to promote its usefulness.

The monthly abstracts of the weather prepared by the observer are models of meteorological forms, both in appearance and contents, and it is hoped they will be followed at all stations where the press is willing to publish them.

Sergt. E. F. Maynard was in charge until May 16, 1873, when he deserted, while under the influence of liquor, and was succeeded by Sergt. Theodore Mosher, who is still in charge and has performed his various duties in an unusually able and intelligent manner. He is highly spoken of by the meteorological committee of the chamber of commerce, by the members of the press and the general business men with whom he is daily thrown in contact. Twice during the year Sergt. N. Gorom

was in temporary charge on occasions when Sergeant Maynard was unable from sickness to perform his duties. Of the assistants on duty during the year, one was called in for misconduct, one transferred to Fort Whipple as orderly sergeant, one, Private Edwin Booth, ordered in for promotion, and, one, Private Martin Evans, committed suicide while temporarily absent from station on leave. At present there are six assistants on duty, one of whom is a sergeant, sent to relieve the observer of a portion of his responsibility. During the industrial exposition held at Cincinnati through the month of September, the morning Probabilities were sent from the central office to Sergeant Mosher and printed by him daily in the exposition building, on a press kindly furnished for the purpose by the executive committee.

A full set of standard station-instruments was also sent him for exhibition and excited favorable comment from the visitors and the press. These instruments were sent to Chicago at the close of the exposition for display there. Two extra assistants were furnished the station during the exposition, and were ordered to other points at its close.

The members of the meteorological committee of the chamber of commerce are entitled to the thanks of the Chief Signal-Officer for their uniform kindness to the observers individually, and for the publicspirited interest they have constantly manifested in the service.

The station has been twice inspected during the year, once in November, 1872, and again in April, 1873. On both occasions it was found in good condition, with records neatly kept and up to date.

The office was moved April 30, 1873, upon the recommendation of the inspecting officer, to the third story of the National Bank building, on the corner of Water and Superior streets, where two rooms are occupied, affording ample space for the station work.

The roof exposure for instruments and the display of cautionary signals is an excellent one.

Reports from fifty-five other stations are received here and published in the regular manner, manifold maps being issued daily.

During the year two thousand one hundred and thirty-seven maps and three thousand three hundred and ninety bulletins have been issued, and seven hundred and two tabulated reports furnished to the press, in addition to a daily abstract of the local observations.

The greater part of this work was done after the relief of Sergt. J. N. Martin, March 18, 1873, as under his charge the station fell into general disrepute and the work was grossly neglected. He was relieved upon the recommendation of the inspecting officer and ordered to Fort Whipple, where, after reduction to the ranks, he was discharged the service. Sergt. L. M. Crist was transferred to the station from Rochester, where he had been serving creditably as an assistant, and by his energy and tact soon inspired new interest in the service, and by his promptness in furnishing reports to the press secured their regular publication in tabulated form.

Becoming insubordinate he was ordered to Fort Whipple, but deserted before reaching that post. He was succeeded May 1 by Sergt.